Darwin shooting LIVE: Four people dead, suspect in custody

What we know so far

Four men were killed and one woman injured when a gunman went on a rampage through Darwin's CBD on Tuesday evening

There are eight crime scenes spanning an area about 4km, including the Palms Motel, the Buff Club and a major police operations base

Police received the first triple zero call about 5.45pm and arrested the shooting suspect about an hour later

The suspect is Ben Hoffmann, a Darwin man known to police who was wearing a monitoring bracelet. He is in custody but has not been charged

Police believe the same weapon was used on all victims - a pump-action, 12-gauge shotgun

2.48pm on Jun 5, 2019

Immediate review of everyone on parole in NT

At a press conference this morning, NT Chief Minister Michael Gunner said an immediate review will be carried out of the 103 people currently on parole in the Territory and 196 people on active electronic monitoring.

He said the "thorough" review is expected to be completed by the end of next week.

The alleged shooter was wearing electronic monitoring after he was released on parole in January, part way through a six-year sentence.

NT Police Commissioner Reece Kershaw said the gun used in the shooting may have been stolen as far back as 1997.

Alleged shooter's brother offers 'deepest condolences'

Clinton Hoffmann, the brother of alleged shooter Ben Hoffmann, has released a statement expressing "deepest condolences" to all of those affected by the shooting, including the injured woman and the families and friends of those who lost their lives.

"We are as shocked and distressed about those events as the community around us," Mr Hoffmann said in a statement broadcast by Sky News.

"In the fullness of time, it may be appropriate to say more. At present, I thank my friends and colleagues for their understanding and their expression of support, especially to me, my mother and other members of my family.

"In the interests of allowing legal matters to properly run their course, I will not be making a further public statement on these matters at this time."

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12.45pm on Jun 5, 2019

NSW Police sending specialist officers to assist in NT

By Sally Rawsthorne

NSW Police will deploy specialist officers to Darwin in the wake of Tuesday’s mass shooting.

Homicide detectives and forensic investigators, including both sworn and civilian offices, will fly to Darwin to aid their Northern Territory colleagues.

It is understood that a lack of specialist expertise in the Territory has meant several of the victim’s bodies were left in situ overnight because of a lack of local expertise in processing the crime scenes.

The police are expected to leave for Darwin as soon as possible, with senior officers talking to their military counterparts to see if a plane can be used to transport them.

"As part of the Australian law enforcement commitment to assisting authorities in the Northern Territory with their continued investigation and response, NSW Police Force has deployed a total of nine sworn officers and civilian employees from the State Crime Command’s Homicide Squad and Forensic Services Group, specialising in ballistics and imaging," a police spokeswoman said.

"The investigation into this incident is being led by Northern Territory Police and as such, they will be the appropriate source information as it comes to hand."

12.16pm on Jun 5, 2019

Hassan Baydoun was on his meal break when he was shot

By Simone Fox Koob

One of the four victims of the mass shooting in Darwin was 33-year-old Hassan Baydoun, an IT specialist and recent university graduate originally from Lebanon, who also worked as a taxi driver.

Mr Baydoun's family said he was shot dead at the Palms Motel on McMinn Street, the place where the shooting spree began. They do not believe he knew the shooter.

Hassan Baydoun was killed at the Palms Motel during a mass shooting in Darwin.

Mr Baydoun's cousin, Abdullah Salam, said "He was a lovely person, friendly, loved everyone, and was friends with everyone. He was always smiling and was a very easygoing person. It's a big loss... he was one of the best people I knew in my life."

The taxi company Mr Baydoun worked for said he was on his meal break when his life was senselessly cut short.

Reporter asks question on everyone's lips

There's one question that everyone reading about this shooting today has probably asked themselves, and just been vocalised by a reporter in Darwin: "If he had an ankle bracelet on, how come it took an hour to track him down? What's the point of the ankle bracelet then?"

NT Corrections Commissioner Scott McNairn confirmed during the press conference just now that the suspect had been sentenced to six years imprisonment with a nonparole period of four years. He was released on parole in January with 23 strict conditions, including the monitoring device on his ankle.

The question was asked of NT Police Commissioner Reece Kershaw, who said ankle bracelets are "not a tactical tool, if that makes sense, for police."

So can individuals wearing them actually be tracked? "We're able to use it now that we have downloaded the information," he said.

11.28am on Jun 5, 2019

Shooter used a pump-action 12-gauge shotgun

Commissioner Kershaw said police have the serial number of the weapon "and we know it's a pump-action 12-gauge shotgun". He said it's believed all the victims were killed or injured with that weapon, but forensic investigations will confirm that.

He would not confirm reports the weapon was prohibited and may have been stolen.

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11.22am on Jun 5, 2019

'He was looking for one individual'

NT Police Commissioner Reece Kershaw has confirmed that police believe the alleged shooter was looking for one person when he went on his shooting spree across Darwin's CBD.

He also confirmed that police believe that individual's name is Alex, and that Alex is actually interstate.

"We've located that individual and we've spoken to him".

He said police still need to interview the suspect to determine why he killed four men and injured a woman.

11.17am on Jun 5, 2019

Police Commissioner outlines current timeline of events

Speaking at a press conference, the NT Police Commissioner Rheece Kershaw said he wanted to reassure NT residents that "we, the police, on reasonable grounds, have arrested that person that we believe has committed these horrific crimes and, as we've reiterated previously, our hearts and thoughts go out to all of the families and all of those that have been affected."

He also outlined some known facts and the current chronology of events police are working with.

NT Chief Minister addressing media now

A press conference is currently under way in Darwin. NT Chief Minister, Michael Gunner says the known facts of what happened remain the same as last night: four men are dead and one woman is injured.

He said the NT government has set up a recovery coordination committee that will cover what is done in schools today and how to talk to children. People affected by last night's events will be provided a counselling service.

At this stage victims are not being identified

100 police currently tasked on the active investigation

Eight crime scenes

Police will have an independent review of the incident

Detailed report requested from Parole Board

Immediate review of electronic monitoring

10.40am on Jun 5, 2019

Did gun laws fail in the Northern Territory?

By Nick O'Malley

Witness accounts and early reports from the Darwin shooting suggest the accused gunman was not only using an illegal weapon, but should not have been entitled to have access to any firearms at all, says Australia’s leading gun law researcher.

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But this is not to say that gun laws failed, says Associate Professor Philip Alpers, the director of GunPolicy.org at the University of Sydney’s school of public health, which tracks and compares gun laws in jurisdictions around the world.

Professor Alpers said pro-gun groups have had success in whittling away at gun laws across Australia since the national agreement was signed after the Port Arthur massacre, but nationally he says Australia still has the best "suite" of gun laws – including restrictions on types of firearms, licensing and registration – in the world.